Boll-weevil catcher



April 22, 1930. H. K. DOWDY I BOLL WEEVIL CATCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15,- 1927 April 22, 1930. H. K. DOWDY BOLL WEEVIL CATCHER Filed Jan. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 22, 1230 I i V V r v JUNITEDfSTATESPATENT OFFICE HEZAKIAH K. Downy, or COBDELE, GEORGIA BoLn-wEEvIL cA'rcHER 1 Application filed J'anuary 15, 1927. seriaiumiereso.

This invention is adevice for trappingand inner edges project over the flanges 15, said exterminating boll weevils and other similar inner edges being spaced from each other to insects. r I provide afslot oropening 18,.through which One of the obj ects, of the invention "is to the insects may drop into the liquid contained 5 provide a receptacle of a size which will perin pan 13. Resting upon the cleats 16 are the 5;, 'mit it to be drawn beneath growing plants, frame bars of a screen or cover 19, the mesh andprovided withsimple means ior'gently of the screen being sufiiciently large to peragitating the plants 'so'as to shake'the inmitboll weevils and other similar insects to sects therefrom. A;further object is'to prodrop therethrough, onto the floors 17 but vide such a receptacle'having means 'for carofa size to prevent the passage of leaves, 60 rying a pan, or the like containing a lethal punctured squares, and the like. liquid, and cover means capable ofrpermitting Secured to the sidel2 is the supporting arm the insects to readily pass therethrough but :20, of a bow2l, which overhangs the recepso constructed as to prevent the passage of tacle 10, and is provided at its free end with a leaves, squares and the like. :A further obdownwardly extendedbearing arm 22. The .65

ject is to provide means for catching leaves, elevation of the bow with respect to the resquares and the like in such a manner that ceptacle may be varied at will, the side 12 they may be brushed into a storage combeing provided with perforations 23 aligned partment during progress of the receptacle to receive the securing bolts 24 by means of beneath the plants. A further object is-to which the bow is retained in position. If 70 1 provide a receptacle of the character mennecessary, a brace 25 may be provided.

tioned, which is equipped with means to pul- Secured to the side 12 to the'rear'of the verize or cultivate the soil contiguous to the bow 21 is a bearin member 26, provided with plants. ,1" an offset portion 2 ,and rotatably mounted in The invention will'be herein afterfully set said offset portion 27 and the bearing arm 22' 5 forth and-particularly pointed out in the is a" reel 28. Said'reeI isprovided with'a claims. a pinion 29, meshing with a gear 30, secured to Inthe accompanying drawings I ashaft "31, carrying a sprocket wheel 32,

F igure 1' is a side elevation illustrating a which isdriven by means of a'chain'33, en- 13 boll weevil catcherconstructed in accordance gaging ajdrive sprocket 34, secured to the 8.0 with the invention. Figure 2 is a top plan shaft 35, of a traction wheel "36, which is view thereof. Figure 3isatransverse secmounted in suitable bearings 37 at the rear tional view- 1 1 of the receptacle. Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a g The receptacle may be drawn along the 3 receptacle having an-inclined bottom 11, one ground in any suitable manner, a draft bar 40 1.85

' i of its sides'12 being of greater height than being provided for this purpose, to whicha the'other side 12 ;v Located within the recep-f draft animal may be hitched in any well tacle and resting on the bottom thereof is known way; At the rear end, thereceptacle a pan=13, containing a'lethali liquid 14, such is provided with handles 41 by means of $0 "as 'kerosene-orany otherf material whichris which itmaybe conveniently guided, and abox= known tohave death-dealingproperties with 42 is provided'contiguous to the'rear end of resp'ectito insects, As' shown, the side walls the receptacle, between'the handle, to receive .ofthe pan are providedwith flanges'15 which the punctured squares which maybe brushed overhang the interior ofthe pan, and prevent 7 off of the screen 19 by the leaves of the growslopping 0r splashing ofthe liquid, during ingplants, as the receptacle passesbeneath 'thetravel of the receptacle. Q them. For the Purpose of cultivating 0r Secured to the sidesof the receptacle are pulverizingthe ground-contiguousto the rows, cleatslo, to which are secured the'oute'r edges the forward right hand corner of the recep:

of inclined fioorfplates 17. These platesextacle'is'provided with a scraper 43.

- tend inwardly and downwardly, so that their Inoperation, the receptacle is drawn along beside the drills, the low side coming next of merger the Qlllll,tll pleats aresuc- V cessively bent over the receptacle, andas the.

reel revolves, it gently shakes the cotton plants causing the boll weevils to 0%; it being a well known characterist cot' the boll weevil that the instant it is disturbed it" y will fold up its legs and-drop to the ground,-

As the weevils fall they drop upon and pass throughthe screen 19,-.and are directed by the floors 17 into the liquid contained in the 'pan 13; which :quickly kills them; Any

leaves, punctured squares, or the like which may be dislodged from the plantsia's the receptaclepasses, also fall upon the screen 19, but beingitooi large to pass therethrough, they are brushed backwardly by the leaves of the growing plants which. are bent over by the reel, until they'are swept into the'receptacle or box 42, where-they are" stored until a convenient 7 time to properly dispose of them. 'Asthe rear end of the machine, is slightly elevated'by reason of the mounting upon the "traction wheel 36, the forward end has-a tendency to scrape-the-ground, thereby aflording suficientacultivation to keep down weeds and grass, and pulverizing' the soil without breakinga'ny of thewroots of the plants;

The advantages ofyrthe invention will; be

readily-understood by those; skilledzin the art to which itbelongs;- It will be particularly noted that a very compact form ot *weevil exterminator has been provided, the same being so constructedthat the tenderplants may be; gently bent over and agitated" sufliciently to shake the weevils outof' them withoutinground} in the vicinity of the'plants which havebeen-treated: win-alsote understood that by means of the i-nvention th'e growing plants: are'not, :only' freed; of. the. insects-g: but

the ground 'is pulverized and cultivated in ,a very beneficialinann erz' Having thus explained the nature of the invention and; described an operative manner of constructing and using the same; although without attemptingto' set forth: all' (3f the forms in which it. may be made-,- or all of the 1--. rj'boll: weevilicatch-er comprising, a: res ,cepta'cle capable'ot resting: upon and being drawn over the :groun'd? inwthevicinity of growing ;pl'ants a pan-toncbhtaihingr a lethal liquid carried by said receptacle, a screen covering said receptacle, the mesh of said screen being sulficiently coarse to permit insects to pass therethrough, but fine enough 'to prevent passage of leaves, squares and the like, means between the screen and the pan for: directing-the; insects into-said pangnieans for bending over therowi g plants, and agitating meansvoperated by movement of said receptacle for further bending said plant-s50 acre-causethem to sweep said screen clear of any accumulations of leaves, squares and the like.

2,.A bollweevilcatcher comprising a receptacle capable of resting upon and being drawn over the ground in the vicinity of growing plants, a lethal liquid p'ancarried by'said receptacle, a screen extending'xover the top of said receptacle,,the mesh of said screen being sufficiently coarse to permit the insects to pass therethrough, but fine enough to prevent the passage of leaves, squares and the like, downwardly inclined floors located beneath said screen and leading inwardly from the SiClGSOf the receptacle, saidfloors having their inner edges. spaced apart-and projecting over thesidesof the pan, soas to direct insects which fall through the screen into said pan, said floors being locatedbetween the screen and'Jthe pan, means for bending over thegrowingp'lants, and agitating means operated by the movement of t-he receptacle for further (bending said plants so as to: sweep the screens clear of accumulations of leaves,- sq'uares and the like.

8. A boll weevil catcher comprising a receptacle capable of being moved contiguously to growing plants; a lethal liquid pan: carried thereby, a screen covering said receptacle above saidpan, an overhanging bow secured to one side of said receptacle, a beating also secured to the same side of said receptacle but to the rear of said bow, a reel rotatably mounted in saidbow andz'said bearing memher; and means operated by movement of the receptacle for; rotating said reel.-

4.,abo11- weevil catcher comprising a receptacle capable of being moved contiguously to growing-plants, a lethal-liquidpan carried by said receptacle, avscreencover forsaid receptacleabove said pan, ab'ow member secured to one side of the receptacle and having: an overhangingportion provided with a bearing arm, a bearingmember-secured to said side butto the fear of sa1d-'b'ow,-a reel rotatably mounted in" said bearing arm and said bearing member,,. and means "operated by jmo'vementfiof the receptaclefor rotating said reel-.-

'by'said receptacle, ;a screen'coveringi said rieceptacl'e' above saidrpan; one side ofz said toc eptacle being provided with a plurality-of I aligned holes, a bow member having an arm provided with holes positioned to register with the first mentioned holes,.securing devices capable of being extended through registering holes of said side'and said arm, a bearing arm carried by said'bow member, a bearing member carried by the receptacle to the rear'of said bow, a reel rotatablymounted in said bearing arm and said bearing member, and means operated by movement of the receptacle for rotating said reel.

6. A boll weevil catcher comprising a receptacle capable of being moved contiguously to growing plants, a lethal liquid pan within said receptacle, a screen covering said receptacle above said pan, a traction wheel supporting the rear end of said-receptacle, the forward end of the receptacle resting upon the ground, so as to scrape the ground and pulverize the soil, a reel rotatably mounted above the receptacle and extending diagonally with respect thereto, and means operated by said traction wheel for rotating said reel,

so that itwill successively engage and bend the plants over the receptacle.

7 A boll weevil catcher comprisinga receptacle capable of being moved contiguously to growing plants,a lethal liquid pan carried by said receptacle, a screen covering said receptacle above said pan, a traction wheel supporting the rear end of the receptacle in a position slightly elevated from the ground, the forward end of the receptacle resting on the ground, a box for punctured squares lo- I cated between said traction wheel and the contiguous end of the receptacle, handle bars for guiding the receptacle, a diagonally disposed reel mounted above the receptacle, and

means operated by said traction wheelfor rotating said reel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 7

' I-IEZ. K. DOWDY. 

